Amid reports that gender rights activist and founder of the Bhumata Brigade Trupti Desai will travel to Kerala with 100 women in January to seek entry to the Sabarimala temple, Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran has said that she will not be allowed to create a law and order situation on an issue that is the under the consideration of the Supreme Court.
Mr. Sudhakaran, who had held the Devaswom portfolio in the last Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, said on Friday that the government was of the view that women of all age groups should be allowed to enter the temple and even filed an affidavit in the apex court to that effect.
“A legal battle is under way in the Supreme Court to review the existing law. Therefore, it will be prudent to wait for its final outcome. Meanwhile, we will not allow a law and order issue to arise on this count,” he said in response to a query from the media.
The Minister maintained that entry to the temple right now should be in accordance with the existing rules.
Ms. Desai shot to national notice after a legal battle led by her won entry for women to the Haji Ali Dargah in Maharashtra. In the wake of her reported plan, the Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom (ABASS), a body of Sabarimala pilgrims, had warned against any attempt on the part of Ms. Desai to enter the temple, given that the presiding deity remained celibate.
“There’s no question of allowing any person or group to violate the age-old tradition and custom of the temple,” it said.
